lippincott



1. w. LIPPINCOTT.

' AIRSHIP.

APPLIFATION FILED JULY II. IBIB.

Patented Oct. 21,1919.

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- AIRSHIP.

APPLICATION FILED :upv n .ma Pmhmd t 21,191

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1. W. LIPPINCOTT.

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1,319,677. Patented 061$. 21,1919.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. LIPPINCOTT, OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS, ASSIGN'OB OF ONE-HALF TO CARRIE A. LIPPINCOTT, 01? LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

AIBSHIP.

Patented Oct. 21, 1919.

Application filed July 11. 1918. Serial No. 244,392.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. LIPPINCoTT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Little Rock, in the county of Pulaski and State of Arkansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Airships, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for lifting, sustaining, propelling, and steering airships by means of reciprocating planes actuated by mechanically enforced oscillation of air, for which purpose air is exceedingly well adapted by virtue of its extreme mobility and almost unlimited flexibility, and the objects of my invention are greater utilization of available power, hence the attainment of greater speed or the lifting and transporting of larger cargoes, or both, than is now possible, and I attain all of these objects by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whicl 1 Figure 1 is a side view of my airship.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the lifting p anes, a series of four bellows connecting each to the airship, and an air line communicating in multiple with each series of bellows.

*ig. 3 is a side detail view of two air oscillators each of which is in effect a double acting bellows and each is connected to a separate crank and said cranks are set at right angles or ninety degrees apart on a single driven shaft in order to coordinately time said oscillators with respect to each other.

Fig. 4 is a top sectional view on the line 11 of Fig. 3 with the crank shaft shown on the side opposite to that of Fig 4.

Fig. 5 is a top sectional view below the.

line 2-2 of Fig. 1 except that the crank shaft and connecting rods are not shown.

Fig. 6 is a sectional end view when looking toward the side of the airship of one of the lifting planes, reciprocally actuated bellows connectin said plane to the airship, cages to gui e saidbellows, and shock absorbers to limit movement of said lifting planes.

Fig. 7 is a side detail View of the frame work of a form of propeller head.

Fig. 8 is a front view of the propeller head on the line 2-2 of Fig. 14.

Fig. 9 is 'a top view of the ordinary propeller which is now in general use for propelling air planes and is adapted to propelling,-steerin and retarding my air-ship by being rotata ly mounted thereon.

Fig. 10 is a weight used to tilt a lifting plane so that it will auton'latically assume and present an angle of incidence to impinging longitudinal air currents, and said weight is adapted to automatically be shifted to the opposite edge of the plane when the air implnges from the opposite direction.

Fig. 11 is an end view when looking toward the side of an airship of one form of lifting plane.

Fig. 12 is a side view when looking toward the side of the airship of another form of bellows, and in which form two bellows will perform the functions of four bellows used to reciprocate the lifting planes as shown in Fig. 9, for as shown herein each bellows is as wide or nearly as wide as the lifting plane.

Fig. 13 is a sectional side elevation of a cylinder and piston which may be used as an air oscillator.

Fig. 1t illustrates another form of propeller head which is fixed to the movable head of a propelling bellows. 7

It is obvious to any one who is skilled in the art of aviation that there would have to be a substantial frame work and numerous braces, trusses, and guy wires, but as this is a matter for the consideration of structural engineers, and as I am only claiming invention of the mechanical means required to produce results as herein contemplated, I am purposely leaving all of these details of the frame work, etc., out of my drawings in order to avoid complexity, except where it is necessary to show some support for the various means.

Similar letters and numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several drawings.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 sixteen horizontally disposed planes are used to lift. and sustain my air-ship, and 'as contemplated herein are of equal area and divided,- into four series, and each series comprising four lanes of which two are positioned to the ore of the vertical center of weight of the air-ship and its load, and the other two at equal distances to the aft of the said center of weight and as shown in Fig. l the four planes designated by A. and to be referred to herein hereafter as the A series of planes have just completed their downward or lifting stroke. This A series of planes is connected in multi le to the A side or air chamber of the air oscillator E in a manner herein hereafter described. The A. series of planes has a companion series of planes each plane of which is designated by B, and to be referred to herein hereafter as the B series of (planes. This B series of planes is connecte in multiple to the opposite or 13 air chamber (side) of the air oscillator E, and has just completed its upward or recovery stroke, hence the A series and the B series of planes are jllst at the oint of reversing their stroke, that is the 3 series will soon commence to lift while the A series makes its recover stroke. The planes of another series, eat: of which is designated by C, and to be referred to herein hereafter, as the C series of planes are at about the middle of their downward or lifting stroke, and are connected in multiple with the C chamber of another air oscillator E. This 0 series of planes has a companion series of planes each of which is designated b D, and will be referred to herein herea ter as the D series of planes. The D series of planes is connected in multiple to the same air oscillator E as is the C series of planes, but to the opposite or D chamber. The A and B series of planes are referred to as companion series for the reason that while one serie is making its downward or lifting stroke the other series is making its recovery stroke, and this analogy also applies to the inferred companionship of the C and D series of planes. Each of the lifting planes is actuated (driven downward) by a series of four bellows as is indicated in side view Fig. 1 and top View Fig. 2. The lower or moving ends or heads of these bellows rest upon and are attached to or made integral with the frame work of the plane to which they are connected and their upper ends or heads are attached to or made integral with the upper frame work 3 of the air-ship and therefore connect said liftin lanes to the air-ship as is shown in detail in the sectional end view of one of the lifting planes in Fig. 6. While a series of four bellows are shown to actuate each lifting plane and connect it to the air-ship in Fig. 2 there is no reason known to me why more or less should not be used. If less, say two for instance, were used it would be advisable to make them nearly as wide as the plane as is shown in the detail sectional end view Fig. 12 of a plane so equipped and connected. Each bellows is guided by four rods designated by 4 which are fixed to the upper frame work 3 and the lower frame work 5 of the air-ship and in effect constitute a cage. The bellows are all adapted to great extensibility or elongation, in fact their extensibility is only limited by the material by .which their two heads are connected, or the distance from the upper frame work of the air-ship to the lower frame work.

As each of the lifting planes are connected to the air-ship by four bellows and there being four planes to each series of planes it follows that sixteen bellows are used to actuate and connect the planes of each series to the air-ship and the sixteen that are connected to the A series of planes are each designated b A. and will be referred to herein herea ter as the A series of bellows.

The sixteen bellows which actuate and connect the B series of planes to the airship are each designated by B, and they will be referred to herein hereafter as the B series of bellows, and this analogy is applied to the bellows which actuate and connect the C and 1) series of planes to the air-ship, i. e. the C and D series of lifting planes are respectively actuated and connected to the air-ship by a C and D series of sixteen bellows (or four bellows to each plane).

The four bellows which connect each lifting plane to the air-ship are alternatel inflated and exhausted in multiple and t ere fore simultaneously by air which is oscillated to and fro in an air line to reciprocally actuate said plane and as there are four lifting planes to each series of lifting planes it is necessary to have four of these air lines, on for each series of (four) lifting planes (sixten in all). The four air lines which communicate with the A series of (sixteen) bellows are each designated by A and will be referred to herein hereafter as the A series of air lines.

Likewise four air lines communicate with the B series" of (sixteen) bellows and are designated-b B, and will be referred to herein herea r as the B series of air lines and thi analogy is applied to the air lines which communicate with the O and D series of bellows i. e. the C and 1) series of bellows are respectively communicated with by the C and D series of (each of four) air lines.

In order to simultaneously actuate the lifting planes of each series, each of the series 0 air lines is connected in multiple to a separate header or manifold pipe. The A series of air lines are connected to a header designated by A", which will be referred to herein he after as the A header and the B series of air lines are connected to a header desi ated by B, which will be referred to herein hereafter as the B header and this analogy is applied to the C and D series of air lines, 01. e. the C and D series of air lines are each respectively connected to the C and D header.

The A header is connected by a main pipe designated by A to an air chamber designated by A of the air oscillator E to be referred to herein hereafter respectively as the A main air line and the A air chamber. The B header is connected by a main pipe designated by B" to the other air chamber of the same oscillator and this air chamber is designated by B to be referred to herein hereafter as the B main air line and the B air chamber respectively. The C header is connected by a main pipe C to an air chamber designated by C of another air oscillator E to be referred to herein hereafter respectively as the C main air line and the C air chamber, and the D header is connected by a pipe D to the other air chamber of the E' air oscillator and will be referred to herein hereafter as the D main air line and the D air chamber respectiveiy.

Each of the air oscillators (E and E) are composed of a solid front 6 and back 6 fixed at a suitable angle to each other and a tongue or oscillating board 7 is suitably hinged in the apex thus formed and flexibly connected to each (front and back) by leather or suitable fabric and thereby constituting a double acting bellows, which affords two air chambers which are alternately inflated and deflated as said tongue is oscillated or forcedback and forth, and as a consequence of the alternate and successive -inflation and deflation of these air chambers 9. As shown in Figs.

the A, B, C, and D series of lifting planes will be vertically, reciprocally actuated by the alternate and successive inflating and exhausting of the bellows by which they are connected to the air-ship. As shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4, and 5 (the crank shaft is inadvertently, but not detrimentally shown to the left of Fig. 5) the two air oscillators are actuated by a single driving shaft 8 on which are fixed the two cranks 9 and 9' at right angles to each other, 2'. e. the crank 9' is ninety degrees in advance of the crank 1 and 4 the crank 9 is connected to the E air oscillator tongue by the connecting rod 10 and the crank 9' is connected to the E air oscillator tongue by the connecting rod 10'. It will now be necessary to particularly consider the detail )lan or top view Fig. 2 in connection with igs. 1 or 3 and 4 or 5 in order to understand the relations of the various parts to each other. The dotted lines in Fig. 5 indicate the positions of the oscillator tongue 7 in the air oscillators E and E. Assuming that the oscillator tongue was at the extreme right in the E air oscillator in all five views and that it was therefore ready to reverse, the A air chamber is as a consequence exhausted and the air that was therein has been forced into the A series of four air lines and as this series of air lines communicate with the A series of bellows the said A series of (sixteen) bellows is necessarily inflated and therefore extended, and as the A series of bellows connects the A (four) series of lifting planes to the air-ship the said A series of lifting planes have been as a consequence forced downward and while being driven down they have encountered resistance from the air. As heretofore noted the lower heads of these bellows rest upon and are attached to the lifting planes and their upper heads are attached to the under side of the frame work 3 of the air-ship, hence it must be obvious that if this A series of bellows has been suddenly inflated with a considerable volume of air the heads of each must be forced apart and as the planes encounter considerable resistance from the air, the air in each bellows must necessarily be compressed 'and therefore exert exactly equal pressure in all directions and the upward thrust or lifting effect on the frame work of the air-ship would therefore be exactly equal to the force utilized to drive the A series of planes down, and it must be equally obvious that if it took as much force to drive the A series of planes down say ten feet in a given time as would be required to lift the air-ship and its load up one foot in. the same time the latter would have to go up the one foot. By referring again to Figs. 1, 3, and 5, it may be inferred that the B air chamber (of the E air oscillator) is fully inflated and that the air therein has been withdrawn from the B series of bellows, hence the B series of lifting planes have completed a recovery stroke as is indicated by their positions in Fig. 1, and this B series of planes will start on the downward or lifting stroke as soon as the oscillating tongue of the E air oscillator is reversed and starts to the left, and the A series of lifting planes will start on their recovery stroke. t is evident that there will be an instant of time when the air-ship will not receive any support from either the A or B series of lifting planes, but by referring again to Figs. 1, 3, and 5 it will be noted that the oscillating tongue of the 1' air oscillator is at about the middle of its vibration or oscillation, hence the air is being withdrawn from the D series of sixteen bellows through the D series of four air lines and the D series of four planes are therefore about the middle of their recovery stroke, while air is being forced into the C series of sixteen bellows through the C series of four air lines, and the C series of four planes are about the middle of their downward or lifting stroke as is indicated by their )ositions in Fig. 1, and the C series of li ting planes are therefore sufiporting the airship and its load while t e A and B series' of lifting planes are reversing, and by noting the position 'of the crank 9' it will be seen that while the A and B series of lifting lanes are reversing, the oscillating tongue in the E air oscillator is makin its highest speed, and it will be noted that t e actuation of each series of liftin planes are analogous in this respect, 2'. e. w en any two series of lifting planes are reversing, the planes of one of the other two series are just at the middle and most effective part of their downward or liftin stroke, hence while the lifting planes of tie A and B series are timed exactly oppositely with res ect to each other and the lifting lanes 0 the C and D series are also time exactly oppositely with respect to each other the four series when considered collectively may be considered to be timed coordinately with respect to each other, and they will therefore afford a constant and very nearly uniform stream of lifting force, and it is obvious that if the power is adequate and the planes encounter sufficient resistance during their downward or lifting strokes that the air-ship would constantly ascend, hence when the desired altitude was reached it would be necessary to curtail the lifting force to some extent which could of course be effected by reducing the power or it could be done by )artly closing the exigent valves 11, one of w iich is positioned in each of the headers A, B", C, and I) at a point between where the main air lines A. ll. t. and 1) respectively intersect said headers and the opening to the individual A". ll. t. and D air lines through which air is oscillated to actuate the lifting planes. and the surplus power thereby afforded may be diverted to propelling as will be herein hereafter descri ed.

Each of the air lines including those to each of the propeller bellows is provided with an emergency valve 12 to be closed in the event of a broken air line, a ruptured bellows, or some mishap to a lifting plane, for in such an event the equilibrium of the air-shi woud be disturbed to such an extent that w iile possibly not absolutely necessary for safety it might be advisable to also close the emergency valve 12 in the air line which controls one of the planes in the series that is com nion to the series that is affected.

Eac air chamber of ea of the air oscillators is provided with equalizing valves, 11. e. a valve 13 opens inwardly so that if a slight leak should develop at any point in the air system (air lines, bellows, etc., connected thereto and air be lost thereby uring the compression periods, this valve will let enough air into said air chamber during the suction afiorde compensate for such loss. Another valve 14 opens outwardly from each of the air chambers of each air oscillator and is in effect a safety valve, as it emits air to escape if for any reason (sue for instance,

as suddenl closing one or more of the air line valves the pressure becomes excessive during the compression period. Each of riod to restore the normal ressure by the atmosphere and t erefore these valves are provided with suitable springs so that they may be adjusted to meet exi ent requlrements.

ach one of the headers A, B, C", and D are rovided with an auxiliary air line, A, B, 5", and D respectively to which may be connected auxiliary air oscillators E and E (but notshown herein). These auxiliary air oscillators should be of the same capacity as those in the regular service and should be similarly actuated so that it would only be necessary to open valves designated by 15 in these auxiliary air lines A, B, C, and D and close the exigenc valves desi nated by 16 in the main A, C, and 6 air lines to keep either two or all four of the air systems efiiciently working in the event of impairment of either or both of the regular air oscillators.

may therefore answer emergent requirements.

The A*, B, C, and D air lines should be composed of flexible material or provided with flexible joints at short distances from each other, as pipes when connected by metal couplings easily break at the couplings when vibrated in a sagging condition. A flimsily constructed frame work is not, of course, contemplated, but accidents are liable to happen and it is safest to anticipate them, hence the preference for the flexible or flexibly connected air lines.

While the lifting and propelling planes contemplated herein could ossibly be actuated by cranks it is certain that the reciprocal means which would have to be connecting rods, or connecting rods and sliding racks would have to have considerable weight and they would have to be operated in vertical positions and their momentum and inertia would have to be overcome at the end of each stroke and it would take more time or more power to reverse these heavy' reciprocating arts than it would the movable bellows leads which can be very light, hence a less uniform air resistance would be encountered by the liftin planes, besides long lines of shafting woudd be required to connect the power with each plane which would call for very rigid frame work construction as these These valves 16 being previously referred to as exigency valves shafts would, of course, have to be mainplanes would have to be connected to the cranks thereof so that they would be actuated in coordinate time relative to each other for the reason hereinbefore explained.

30 therefore be many feet.

owing to the great flexibility of air a sag or other disalinement of several feet would not at all interfere with the transmission (the alternate inflation and exhausting of the bellows by oscillated air) of force, and

therefore not seriously effect results, as the air lines may all be of a flexible material or connected In short lengths by flexible joints,

hence'the danger from an irreparable and disastrous impairment of the system is very remote while a slight impairment would hardly. be perceptible, as it could easily and quickly be taken care of by the means herei'n heretofore provided. Another feature in favor of the oscillation of air as a means 2 for actuating the planes is that the length of 'stroke obtainable from reciprocating cranks either directly connected to the planes by connecting rods or connecting rods and sliding racks is limited to a few feet, while if said planes are actuated by oscillated air as herein provided the length of their stroke is only limited by the extensibility (elongation) of the bellows which actuates them and connects them to the air-ship, and may The lighter the reciprocating parts and the fewer the reversals of said reciprocating parts the better as the planes can be driven at higher speed and as the resistance they encounter is as the square of their speed more uniform motion will result and also a much greater utilization of the power.

I propose to use four propellers designated by A B, C, and D in the top or plan view Fm. 5, which will be referred to herein hereafter as the A, B C or D propellers. The A propeller bellows is connected to the A air chamber of the E air oscillator through the header A by an air line designated by A, and is fully inflated and extended or at the end of its propelling stroke as is shown in Fig. 5 and its companion the B propeller bellows is connected to the B air chamber of the E air oscillator through the header B by an air line designated by B and is therefore fully contracted or at the end of its recovery strokeas shown. The C propeller bellows is connected to the C air chamber of the E air oscillator through the header C by the air line designated by C and is therefore about the middle of its propelling stroke while its companion the D propeller bellows is connected to the D air chamber of the E air oscillator through the header D by the air line designated by D and is therefore about the middle of its recovery stroke. Each one of these propeller bellows air lines are provided with a valve 38 to exigently control the volume of air for reciprocally actuating said propellers b alternately inflating and exhausting the bellows to which each propeller is attached. As illustrated in Fig. 5 the propellers are shown in pairs but this has no particular significance except as a matter of convenience but they should all be positioned as near as posible so that each when actuated will produce a thrust in a direct line relative to the longitudinal and horizontal center of weight of the air-ship so as to not disturb its longitudinal or horizontal stability or equilibrium. Each of these propellers comprises a bellows similar in most respects to the Ones used to connect the lifting planes to the air-ship, but are of course horizontally disposed and may and should be capable of great extensibility (elongation) in length. One of the heads 18 of each propeller bellows is fixed to a rotatable table 19 which rotates around a pivot 20 but the other head 21 of each propeller bellows is free to move horizontally back and forth as the bellows is successively inflated and exhausted. The free or moving head of each propeller bellows is connected to or made integral with a vertical plane adapted to considerable lateral extensibility to materially increase its area at the beginning of its propelling stroke in order to encounter great resistance when driven against the air during its propelling stroke, and it is further adapted to being folded or collapsed at'the end of its propelling stroke so that it may be pulled back through its recovery stroke without resistance from the air.

The air-ship can be propelled by either of the four propellers, but the two air chambers of each of the airoscillators should be of equal dimensions and it is therefore advisable to connect each of said air chambers with at least one propelli bellows as shown (but two would be better in order to have equal air pressure in each chamber of the air oscillator.

As above stated these propellers are all mounted on rotatable tables 19 so that they may be directed to push in any desired direction by the lever 33 and if desired held in any desired direction by inserting the pin 34 through a hole in said lever to engage a hole 35 in the dial plate 86 to steer the air-ship, and if desired the propellers may be rotated through one hundred and eighty degrees of the circle and therefore retard or even sto and reverse the course of the air-ship. I however it was desired to maneuver to this extent the air-ship would have to be provided with liftin planes like those shown in Fig. 11 an which will be described later herein:

Shock absorbers 37 are provided to limit the ropelling stroke and also the recovery stro e of the moving propeller heads. This provision is merely a precaution, as it is not intended to normally stop the propellers with a shock at the end of either stroke, and for this reason the moving head of each of the propellers should be as light as possible and each propeller bellows should be capable of somewhat greater elongation or extension than will normally be required of-it in order to let air resistance overcome its momentum at the end of the pushing or propelling stroke as much as possible, and while said momentum is being overcome the said additional elongation and the now reversed motion of the air oscillator tongue will have reduced a artial vacuum in the propeller llows an the extensible or collapsible head will be contracted, hence .the recovery stroke is made with but slight retarding resistance from the air in the wrong direction. Overcoming of momentum of these moving propeller heads to stop them at the end of their propelling strokes and then in overcoming their inertia to set them in motion in the opposite direction in order to make the recovery strokes is a considerable factor as in each case power will be consumed proportional to the weight of the moving heads times the s )eed and in both cases the effect is retarding, ence the necessity for making the moving heads as light as possible and the advisabihty of making the strokes as long as possible 1n order to make the reversals as 'few as possible when compared with the lineal distance of aggregated strokes rather than the actual number for they are of course reversed with the reversal of the tongue of the air oscillator to which they are connected by the propeller bellows air lines A, B, C, and D. I do not believe a stroke of forty feet is prohibitive and a .greater may. be obtained but suffice it to sa that the longer the better and more. elilcient and especlally so when it is remembered that the alr resistance encountered by the extended heads during the propelling stroke is as the square of the speed, relative to the air of course, i. e., if the air-ship was movng at the rate of jten miles per hour in still air the propeller heads would have=t0 move at the rate of twenty miles per hour to encounter a resistance of one half pound per square foot of its area, but if these relative speeds were increased ten times the propeller heads would encounter a resistance of fifty pounds per square foot of area, or one half ound multiplied by one hundred which 1s the square of ten.

Ifig. 14 illustrates a form of propeller head which is well adapted to use for propelling, steering and retarding my air -shi This propel r head is composed of a me 39 which may be of any suitable form (round or square) and is attached to or made integral with the free or movin head 42 of the propeller bellows 52 (A', C, or D). vertlcal and transverse (lateral) wires are attached to the frame 39 to afi'ord backing for a. multiplicity of flaps (strips of fabric or other suitable material) one of which is supported by and hinged to each of the transverse or lateral wires. These flaps are shown in the illustration as extending straight back (horizontal) as they would do when the propeller was making a recovery stroke and the propeller head would therefore pass thmugh the air unimpeded, except that the wires and frame would encounter some resistance but the loose or free edges of each of the flaps will drop down and will overlap the flap which is just below it and also the wire to which it is hinged as is indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 14 and thus form a solid lane surface to encounter great resistance a uring the propelling or pushing stroke.

Fig. 7 illustrates a side sectional view of the collapsible frame of another form of propeller head. This propeller head is composed of four or more laterally extensible arms 41 which are connected to the moving head 42 of the propeller bellows by the bin cs 43 which permits theln to extend latera ly to positions at right angles to their horizontal as shown, when pushed against the air, but they are prevented from collapsing backwardly when pushed against the air as the will be durin the propelling stroke by being provided with lugs 44 which engage the braces 45. These braces are connected to the moving heads 42 of the propeller bellows 52 (A, B, C, or D) by hinges 46 and these braces are provided with slots 47 which will permit the arms to collapse or fold to the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 7 when air impinges from their rear and they can therefore be pulled backward without resistance from the air during their recovery stroke. As shown in front view Fig. 8 the arms of this propeller head are merely a backing or support for a suitable fabric 24 which forms a Like the propeller head illustrated by Fig.

14 this collapsible head illustrated in Figs. 7'

and 8 may be connected to or made integral with the moving head 42 of the propeller bellows and actuated and connected to the airship like the A, B", C", or D" propellers in Fig. 5.

If desired one or two propellers designated by 48 in Fig. 9 which are identical to those now used in aircraft may be installed on my air-ship and rotatably mounted thereon as shown perform the functions of steering and retarding as well as propelling.

A bird does not obtain sustentation from the flapping of its wings but by air impinging against the under side of its wings and body which are both formed and adapte mal line of flight, and heavy birds make this angle very acute by a further tiltin of the body with the head raised higher t an its tail and especially so when flying slow or trying to ascend rapidly. To acquire and maintain flight a bird must breast a wind of sufficient velocity to sustain its weight by this impingement, or if flying with the wind it must excel in speed the velocity of the wind to such an extent as will produce this effect, as is evidenced by all birds rising with their breast to the wind,or running on the ground until they acquire the necessary speed, or by springing high enough to acquire it before falling back to the ground. This is also noticeable when observing birds startin to fly from a height, as they will invaria ly drop several feet before the start the upward angle (to ascend) regard ess of the rapidity with which they beat their wings. Other evidence that sustentation is merely incidental to the beating of a birds wings is the fact that they can fly in a perfectly horizontal line, for if they were dependent on the flapping of their wings to sustain them their course would be a succession of ups and downs or wave like motion as there is plenty of time between beats for gravity to pull them down several feet, hence the conclusion that primarily they flap their wings for propulsion, and this is produced by the tips of the win feathers which being necessarily flexible ant yielding (bending) strike the air at a considerable angle to the horizontal, and sustentation while of course necessary to flight is incidental to propulsion.

When it is realized that much of a birds energy is wasted in propulsion by forcing as much air vertically downward or at right angles to the direction of its flight as is forced straight back (and the latter is all that is effective), and when it is further realized that a considerable percentage of the propelling effect is counteracted by the retarding effect of the air which impinges on the vertical angle of incidence formed by the body and wings of the bird to obtain sustentation it must be conceded that bird flight is very inefficient, and this is also true of the present air planes. The present air plane propeller is also very inefiicient because it encounters much resistance at right angles to the direction of flight i. e. as much or more air is driven laterally to right angles to the horizontal than is driven straight back (and that which is driven back is all that produces propulsion), and much of this is counteracted as above stated by air impinging on the angled planes which is necessary to obtain sustentation. Sustentation by impinging air, means that there is as much back thrust or retarding effect as there is upward thrust or sustaining effect. In other words if sustentation could be had without the retarding effect of impinging air (required for sustentation) twice as much weight could be sustained and transported at the same speed with a given force, and if propeller efficiency could be increased several times aerial navigation would immediately assume commercial importance and these results can be obtained by the means herein illustrated and described.

The lifting planes as contemplated in Figs. 1, 2, 6 and 12 are composed of a suitable frame work to afford a backing for a sheet of suitable fabric i. a. they are toall intents sold, smooth, rigid planes horizontally and transversely as to their long way) disposed and connected to the air-ship, and as shown in Fig. 1 the air-shipis mounted on coasting wheels;

Preparatory to starting a flight the exigency valves 11 in the A, B, C", and D headers should be partly closed to limit the volume of air that will be oscillated back and forth in the A, B, l, and D lifting plane air lines and the other exigent-y valves 38 in the A, B, C, and D headers should be opened wide so as to permit an abnormal volume of air to be oscillated back and forth in the A, B, C and D propeller bellows air lines in order to strenuously actuate the propellers to get the air-shi under headway (this will not however e necessary if facing a wind of sufficient velocity or if the air-ship is equipped with lifting planes provided with flaps as shown in Fig. 11).

When the necessary speed is attained which will vary (relative to the earth) with the wind, the small portion of air that is permitted to oscillate back and forth in the A, B, C, and D lifting plane air lines will alternately but not strenuously inflate (or elongate) and exhaust the several series of lifting plane bellows and all of said lifting planes will; be reciprocally actuated i. r. .idriven downward through a short lifting stroke and then lifted up through the recovery stroke by the oscillated air in the time relative to each other as hereinbefore pointed out, but the leeward edge of each of the liftin planes is provided with a weight 50 (shown in detail in Fig. 10) which will tilt each plane and force it to assume and present an angle of incidence to impinging horizontal air currents at the end of each downward stroke and as soon as the airship is moving fast enough (rolling along on the coasting wheels under the impulses of the propellers) the planes will be automatically lifted through their recovery strokes by impingin air and the power will therefore .therea ter have nothing to do but drive the planes downward throu h their lifting strokes. When it is seen t at impinging air is automatically lifting the lifting planes in quick enough time (is acting upon them quicker that the power) the valves 38 may be partly closed and the valves 11 opened wide. A larger volume of air will then be oscillated in the A, B, C, and I) lifting plane air lines and the lifting )lanes will be strenuously actuated and if there is ample power to lift the load the air-ship will as cend. When the desired altitude 1S reached i these valves may again be manipulated i. e.

the valves 11 partly closed and the valves 38 opened wide to divert a considerable portion of the oscillated air to the four propeller bellows. It is obvious that if the leeward edge of the planes were sufficiently weighted the planes could be forced to present an acute vertical line of incidence to the hori zontal and the air impinging thereon would not only lift the planes, but assist materially in sustentation of the air-ship. This form of sustentation however is not contemplated herein for the reason that the upward or lifting thrust of the impinging air Wlll be accompanied by exactly an equal backward or retarding thrust (tendency to drift with the wind), as is evidenced by a kite lagging to the leeward of the ground end of its string. It is noticeable that a kite pulls harder on its strin in a gale that it does in a moderate wind ut this is caused by the wind impinging on the string, as the only effect a gale has on the kite is to cause it to assume a more nearly horizontal position, 2'. 6. only a given force is required to sustain a given weight regardless of the velocity of the wind exce ting head resistance and skin friction), ut t e force or power required for sustentation in this manner requires exactly an equal expenditure of power to overcome the horizontal thrust of impinging air on the angle of incidence assumed and re: quired, hence the great inefiiciency of this means of sustentation which is now used in the sustentation of all air planes, therefore their sustentation is merely incidental to propulsion, hence'the superiority of means whereb these necessary objectives are obtained independently of each other as shown herein, and the advisability of making the lifting. planes as light as possible consistent of course with safety, and their leeward edges only weighted sufiiciently to hold them at an angle of incidence to the horizontal great enough to cause them to be lifted through their recovery strokes by the impinging air in the required time i. e by the time (or before) the bellows by which they are driven downward commences to be inflated.

As above stated the course of the air-ship can be directed in any direction or'chan ed at will by directing the propellers so t ey will push in the direction to produce the desired result, but when the B,lI:Sl1ip is equipped with solid lifting planes it would be disastrous to bring the air-ship to full sto bro ilght to a full stop relative to the earth relative to the air, but it could be provided it was facing a wind of suflicient velocity to raise the lifting planes in correct time while the prope lers were being actuated just enough to counteract head resistance and skin friction, as the hovering bird of prey does while awaiting in mid air the proper opportunity for darting down to earth or water to seize its prey, hence if it was desired to reverse the course of the air-ship when equipped with solid planes (2'. e. any other form than that illustrated by Fig. 11) it would be necessary to circle.

If it was desired to make vertical ascents and descents, or move slowly in any and all directions, or stop and reverse directions in still air or relative to the earth without regard to the direction of the wind if there was any it would be necessary to adapt planes illustrated in Fig. 11 which are composed of a frame 51 to which is attached longitudinal and transverse (or lateral) wires to afford backing for a multiplicity of flaps 53 one of which is supported by and hinged to each of the transverse wires. These flaps are shown to be hanging straight down in Fig. 11 which is the position they would normally assume if standing still or when being lifted upward through still air, and through which motion a plane so constructed would move unimpeded except by the resistance encountered by the frame and wires. The slightest breeze however will affect the very light material of which these flaps may be made and assuming that the plane illustrated in Fig. 11 is being lifted through its recovery stroke by virtue of air being withdrawn from each of the bellows which connects it to the air-shi and that it is moving horizontally from left to right or that the air-ship is standing still and the wind is blowing in the opposite direction all of the flaps will assume the horizontal osition indicated by the dotted lines in ig. 11 and lie flat up against the backing afforded by the wlres as soon as the plane starts downward, and the free edge of each flap should slightly overlap the flap (and the wire to which 1t is hinged) that is first to the leeward and thus form a solid plane surface to encounter great resistance during the downward or lifting stroke of said plane. My air-ship if provided with planes of this character can make vertical ascents and descents or stand still in mid air relative to the earth and without regard to the wind but it should be remembered that power is required to lift these planes through their recovery strokes and that the power required will be as the weight of each lane times the speed at whic they are ifted and to this must be added the resistance encountered by the aggregate area of the wires and frame work, (0 each plane), also times the speed, as this aggregate resistance in pounds is exactly equivalent to as many its course these tiltlng weights will be automatically shifted b the wind to the other and now leeward e go of the planes by reason of a sulficient area for \the wind to blow against. Each of these weights is suspended from a roller 54 which is supported by rails 55 attached to or made integral with the frame of the plane, hence the weights will be shifted b the wind almost as soon as the course 0 the air-ship is reversed relative to the air (wind).

It should be observed that the cargo and machiner is supported by the lower frame work 5 o the air-ship and is therefore a considerable distance below the lifting lanes and for this reason it will be very sta le re gardless of air conditions.

As illustrated and described herein sixteen lifting planes are used and divided into four series of four each, but there is no reason known to me why many more should not be used if desired nor is there any reason wh satisfactory results could not be obtain with a less number. It is even possible I think to get fairly satisfactory results from two planes but they would have to be positioned one above the other and directly over the center of weight. If however four, eight, sixteen or say up to thirtytwo were used it will be necessary to remember that equal sustentation must be maintained on all sides of the vertical center of weight and that the planes of each series should therefore be positioned accordingly and simultaneously actuated and each series coordinately tlmed with respect to each other to aiford a constant and uniform stream of sustaining force, and if planes like that illustrated in Fi 11 were used the could be disposed eit er' transversely or ongitudinally and could be either round or square and if desired could be disposed in .vertical tiersas owin to the cat mobility and extreme flexibility 0 air the forces are easily transmittible in all directions and to all .points by the means herein disclosed and their actuation would be as efiective in one position as another but they would of course have to e positioned in all cases to meet stabilizing requirements.

In conclusion I wish to point out the fact that the progellmg plane illustrated by Figs. 7 and 8 is highly adapted to liftin planes, (by disposing them horizontally 0 course) while the would have to be much smaller in area t an is intimated or might be inferred by referring to Fi 1, 9, 12, and 11 this deficiency could easi y be compensated for in numbers.

Having thus described my invention what I desire to claim and have protected by Letters Patent of the United States is- 1. The combination in an airship, of a suitable number of suitably actuated and suitably valved air oscillators having chambers, each chamber being connected in multiple through suitabl valved air lines with a series of bellows, or their alternate and simultaneous inflation and deflation, one head of each bellows being fixed to the airship, and said air lines being connected to and communicating with theinterior of each bellows, through an opening in the fixed head, one bellows of each series being horizontally disposed and its movable head fixed to a suitable plane vertically disposed and adapted to retarding and propelling the airship by being rotatably mounted thereon, the rest of the bellows of each series being vertically disposed and their free heads fixed to suitable horizontally disposed lifting planes. t

'2. The combination in an air-ship of a multi licity of lifting planes suitably guided and connected thereto, and suitable means for driving them' downward, weights connected to the leeward edges to tilt them to an angle of incidence to their horizontal at the .end of each downward stroke to enforce their recovery stroke by the force of impingin air, and said weights being automatica 1y shiftable from the windward to the leeward edge of each plane when the direction from which the air impinges, is reversed, and suitable shock absorbers to limit each stroke of said planes.

3. The combination in an air-ship, of a multiplicity of suitably disposed bellows, each comprising a head fixed to the airship and a suitably guided movable head, said heads connected to each other b extensible and collapsible material, a suitable number of said bellows being connected by their movable heads to horizontally disposed lifting planes and the balance of said bellows bein connected by their moving heads to verticafi disposed propelling planes, and each of said bellows being suitably connected through their fixed heads and an air line with a suitable air oscillator to alternately inflate and thereby elongate and exhaust,

and thereby contract each of said bellows to reciprocally actuate said lifting and propellln planes.

4. e combination in an air-ship of a multi licity of air oscillators each consisting of a front and back fixed at a suitable angle to each other a tongue hinged near the apex of said angle and connected to said Ill front and back by extensible and collapsible material 'to permit the oscillation of said ton no to and from the front to back, admstable exi ent valves provided in each of the two 0 ambers thus formed in each of said air oscillators, suitable air lines communicating from ea of said chambers to a multiplicity of suitably disposed bellows for alternately inflatin and exhausting said bellows to reciprocal y 210- tuate a multiplicity of lifting and pro elling planes suitably connected by said ellows to said airship, and said air lines exigentliy and emergently valved.

5. he combination in an airship, of a multiplicity of series of suitable lifting planes, each series of planes connected to the airship by a series of bellows and suitable means to successivel and alternately inflate and deflate the be lows of each series in multiple to actuate the lifting planes.

6. The combination in an air-ship of a multiplicity of propellers each suitably connected to a suitably guided moving head of an extensible and contractible horizontally disposed bellows suitably connected to the air-ship, and each propeller comprising means adapted to considerable lateral extensibility of area during the pro elling stroke to encounter resistance from the air .durin said propelling stroke and means for co lapsing each at the end of said propelling stroke and therefore adapting each to being pulled back through its recovery stroke PIS without resistance from the air by the contract'ing bellows said fixed bellows heads being connected through suitably valved air lines with suitable air oscillators to alternately inflate each of said bellows to enforce propelling strokes of said propellers 4 and then exhaust said bellows to enforce the recovery strokes of said propellers, and suitable shock absorbers suitably supported to limit the strokes of said propellers.

JOHN W, LIPPINCOTT. 

